The 5th Lifetime's Lesson:Learning to Love again
by K-1011
Summary: Ichigo resorts to desperate measures in order to win... PG 13 ; Mild violence and gore involved. IchiHime
1. Then One of our pulses ceased beating

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Title:

The Fifth Lifetime's Lesson: Learning to Love again...

**Rating:** PG 13+ ; Mild violence and gore involved

**Summary:** Branching off from Chapter 317, '_Six hearts will Beat as One'_ and budding off from there... Yes to the highly anticipated Ichigo fight and beyond…

**Author's Note**: This is my first EVER attempt to write Fanfic. I hope you regard me kindly and Please review this story. Do not hesitate to post **Constructive Criticism.**

I'll make an immense effort to not alter any of the character's personality, especially Ichigo's [well no drastic changes anyways]...gosh can't he just confess to Orihime already? And if you were wondering about the title it'll all be clear soon...just give this story a chance to blossom.

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_And then One of our pulses ceased beating…_

_I've sort of skipped the initial first blows…so this is what's been happening. Ichigo is being beaten senseless by Ulquiorra, when the Arrancar was about to deal the Ultimate death blow, Orihime intervenes. _

He could hear the distinct shattering of glass echoing in his ears. As the cloud dissipated, glimmers of the shield cascaded down his vision to reveal the unfolding scene.

His mind refused to register the scene and the only recognisable thought that flitted across his mind was, 'It's not happening, not real.' He felt as if he was one of the audiences observing a play, detached from reality.

In a fluid motion his opponent drew the sword from his companion's chest, her knees buckled and met the ground.

'Darn it! Catch her!'

The voice shook him out of the trance. He just managed to catch her as she fell back.

She smiled when she saw him and raised her hand to caress his cheek, 'I'm glad you and everyone are alright.'

Her body shuddered in his grasp as she coughed violently, expelling a river of crimson liquid that converged with the ones oozing from her wound dying her white dress. He didn't make any move to comfort her or comment, in fact he couldn't.

The stark contrasts of the two colours were gruesome yet vibrant. The collision between the two was violently met; however it was the crimson colour that held dominance over the white.

Silence reigned so although her voice was faint it was heard by all, 'I'm sorry. It seems I've broken your promise.' She made an attempt to chuckle only to discharge the blood that had inundated her lungs.

'Thank you, my friends,' she said with a sincerity that emanated from the depths of her heart. And with her last words her eyes began to flutter shut as gracefully as the drawing of the velvet red curtains at the end of a play.

The arm that was supporting her limp frame shook her a little as if it could rouse her from her slumber and in doing so, defy his fears.

'Wake up,' his voice raw and hoarse with overwhelming emotions, 'Can you wake up? Please, please wake up!' his voice increasing in volume and desperation.

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From afar the ebony haired woman witnessed the tragic scene, sympathy flowing from her heart.

'Ichigo…' she sighed dolefully. She knew the boy was torturing himself by rejecting reality. She walked over and knelt beside them.

'Let her go Ichigo…' her voice held a harsh tone that commanded not requested.

In his shocked state he had no will or thought and complied with the order without hesitation. He watched intently as the woman's hand hovered over the wound emitting a luminous green orb that enveloped both hand and wound.

His eyes resumed its position, upon his saviour's pallid visage. He gulped hoping to incite the courage to ask the dreaded question.

'Is she going to be alright? Can you heal her?' The palpable tension in the room had a gravity that burdened his shoulders making him hold his breath unaware.

'Just concentrate on the battle at hand,' her tone firm but gentle.

Frustration flashed in his eyes. And as he began to rise he inhaled deeply ready to release a torrent of reasoning as to why he should know of her condition when an arm was extended in front of him.

The bespectacled man eyed the opponent who had distant himself from the group and now stood watching from the sidelines, intrigued at what was occurring. Assured that the enemy would not strike he turned to his friend and lowered his arm.

'From the position of the wound it would seem her artery and lungs were impaled, inducing arrhythmia.' The usually reticent boy observed.

'Arrhythmia?'

'Arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats irregularly. It can be caused by death or damage to heart tissue which affects the electrical impulses in the heart.'

'I KNOW WHAT IT IS! But…isn't it fatal? The mortality rate is…'

'Yes, very high.' His grave words were, in another form, like dealing out a death sentence.

'I've managed to create an artificial bridge for her artery and successfully healed her lungs.' At the Shinigami's words the men sighed in relief.

'It'll buy some time…but she needs to be seen by the Medic Captain and for that we need to return to the human world. It'll be much quicker and efficient than searching for them here. Renji and Chad are already trying to activate the portals. This spell would only last seven minutes tops. I'm reserving four minutes for the journey from portal to rendezvous point on the other side which leaves you three minutes to wrap up this fight.'

Ichigo nodded as he return his attention to the opponent. 'Move her away.'

Ichigo heard the rustling of cloths as the Quincy with meticulous care conveyed the body to the other side.

Ichigo made certain his back was to his friends, to her. He was aware that she was unconscious but remembering her distress at his transformation…he…he couldn't bear to cause her more suffering. He closed his eyes to shut out the images of her fearful face and of her pale face.

'Are you ready Ichigo?' the Arrancar asked disdainfully.

As his lids flickered, strengthening the floodgates behind his eyes, resolve returned. He nodded, 'Just wait a moment.'

**Next Chapter:** _Checkmate!_ Ichigo resorts to deperate measures in order to win...


	2. Checkmate

**Disclaimer:** I do not own. [Forgot to mention sorry]

**Author's Note: **I'm really sorry for the looong wait but Motivation wasn't exactly knocking on my door per se. I hope you enjoy! And please review. I just recently realized how much of a kick of energy they give.

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_Checkmate_

_In this inner world where it's normal to have the buildings' windows under your feet and everything was topsy-turvy two beings awaited the inexorable turbulence that threatened its order._

The air hung still and stale as the inhabitants of the inner world observed the newcomer with curiosity. One of the two was a man whose appearance denotes an age beyond Ichigo's years and the other is best described as the boy's counterpart. This doppelgänger's entire body was clad in a white Shihakushō a shade shared with his complexion; a ghastly white contrast to the dark hollow sockets which held opaque colourless pupils brimming with malice.

'So the King fails to protect his princess and now seeks the aide of his steed.' He grinned sardonically.

No reply was made.

The Hollow cocked its head enquiringly, 'What's with the wimpy look? It makes you look weak.' The final word was given enough emphasis that it continued to reverberate after it had left his lips.

The Hollow's eyes twitched with interest as he watched Ichigo outstretch his arm the one that held one of the most majestic swords, Zangetsu. And with another breath the hold upon the hilt was loosen.

'Heh' was all that was heard from the Hollow before he disappeared as if that one word conveyed his whole triumph and the signal for the other's defeat. Without a moment's notice the Hollow faded back into view besides Zangetsu.

'Checkmate, my dear King.' These were his final words before he faded away, this time with the greatest prize, his master's soul.

The benign spirit of the sword smelt the decay in the air and felt the stifling air but try as he might, he could not see what the boy felt. And so he like the boy waited without a word for the inevitable upturn of his world.

Sharr…….

The rain hissed in its eager to escape from the clouds in very much the same way gas did from a fizzy drink; relieving all the accumulated pressure as the boy did with his emotions.

'Ichigo….' The old man sighed addressing the boy with an uncommon tone of sympathy.

In a barely audible whisper the boy replied apologetically, 'Zangetsu…'

'Do you doubt my power?' Zangetsu stated more than ask as he already knows the answer,

'It is not your power I doubt but my own.' And with that confessed he sat with a splash upon the floor, head down and with only his knees to support the very arms that had bore all his burdens.

In the distant a faint yet unmistakable boom of thunder could be heard, the thunder of a crumbling world.

'You realize even if he defeats your enemy he will also harm your friends.'

Water dripped from the boys drench matted hair and continued to as long as the relentless torrent of rain came, as long as he stayed fallen.

'What are you going to do, Ichigo?'

'No more fighting, I'm too tired to fight. I'm going to end it together with him. It'll be our end.' The resignation in his tone instilled within Zangetsu the unfamiliar feeling of melancholy and disappointment.

With a deliberate drawl he gauged the options, 'So those are your choices; death of your friends or Kamikaze [suicide in order to murder]'

He received no reply so continued, 'Can you grasp the terror of being rained upon in this solitary world?'

'I guess so..' a curt response was finally elicited from the unusually taciturn boy.

'So you believe that you have protected your friends?' This time a different reaction was observed, the lowering of the head. Was it shame? Shame in being so helpless? This and maybe fatigue.

'You know it used to always rain, always it did. It rained unyieldingly until I began to believe that it could be perpetual darkness. But when you activated your powers you gained the ability to protect your loved ones and the rain ceased. However history reprised and once again you failed in your duty. Subsequently your alter ego began to devour you, the clouds darkened and began to gather as did your guilt from the past, threatening to envelope this world in darkness again.' He paused for the boy to assimilate what was said.

'You know your name means to protect and do you think you've lived up to the name?'

As if the question rekindled a dying spirit or burst the quarantine bubble but whatever it was the boys defence mechanism was creaking back in gear, 'I don't know. I just don't know anymore. I guess if I can defeat even one enemy to free them from this place and give her a chance to live then I guess I done my job.'

'So you believe you've fulfilled your duty by taking out your friends' enemy. Then isn't that panther also a protector. He freed the girl from her cell and protected her from those bullies. So answer me, what does it mean to protect?'

The question probed deep into the well of emotion within the boy. The tangible mixture of emotions fighting inside him; that of a roaring rampant lion, that of the venomous snake prose to strike and another. This one was so alien, a dull throb or pulse that sent him floating on clouds one minute and crashing into the sea the next.[***Can you guess what this emotion is? And I think Ichigo is capable of feeling it.** Further discussion in Author footnote**]**

Unable to distinguish what they were and frustrated for being puzzled he uttered a strain, 'I don't know' as a futile vent.

'How sad would the girl be if the friend she saved sacrificed his own life?'

'But she's alive, that's all that matters!'

'Alas, then you'll forsake her happiness?' Zangetsu seemed to question the boy and yet appeared to state it as a very definite prediction.

**Author's FootNote:** You've probably guessed the emotions but here they are; Pride, Jealousy, Love [I think]. I just guessed Ichigo would feel Jealous of losing to Grimjow [I hope that's correct].

**Next Chapter: **Zangetsu reveals a secret of the past... 'Chapter remains untitled.'


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